Matatiab di ǂgomǂgomsasib
1 ǁNā ǁaeb ǃnâb ge Joarib omaris di pristeri, Matatiab ti ge ǀon hâ ib, Johaneb ôa tsî Simeonni ǁnuriǀgôa ge iba, Jerusalemsa xu doe tsî Modeins ǃnâ sī ge ǁan. 2 Matatiab ge koro ǀgôaga ge ūhâ i: Johaneb, ǁkhāti Gaddi ti gere ǀonǂgaiheb, 3 Simonni, Tassib ti gere ǀonǂgaiheb, 4 Judab, Makabaeub ti gere ǀonǂgaiheb, 5 Eleasari, Avaran ti gere ǀonǂgaiheb tsî Jonatanni, Apfub ti gere ǀonǂgaiheb hâga.
6 Matatiab ge Judeab tsî Jerusalems tsîra ǃnâ ra dīhe ǁorebab ge mû, 7 o ge mî:
“Tare-i ǃaroma ta nēti ī ǁgaisi xūna tani mûga ge ǃnae,
ti khoen tsî ǃanu ǃās di hîkākāhes ǃaromasa?
Nēpa ta huiose nî ǂnû,
ǃāsa khākhoen ai māǁnāhe
tsîb Tempela ǃhaokhoen ǃomǁae ra ǁnā hîa?
8 ǁÎs di Tempeli ge ǃgôasi-e ūhâ tama khoe-i khami ī.
9 ǁÎs di ǂkhaira xapan ge ge tanibēhe.
ǂKham ǀgôaron ge ǃgangu ǃnâ ge ǃgamhe
tsî ǂkham khoega, khākhoen di hoaǀkhāǀā gôagu xa.
10 Nau ǃhūgu di ǃhaodi hoadi ge ǃāsa ge ūbasen
tsî ǁîs ǃnâ ge hâ i xūn hoana ge ǁkhâuǁnâbasen.
11 ǁÎs di hoaraga anixūn ge ge ūbēhe;
nēsis ge a khobo tsî ǃaruǀî ǃnorasa tama hâ.
12 Kō sada Tempeli, Jodeǁî taman xa ge ǃgôaoǃnâ kaiheb,
ǁîb di hoaraga ǂkhaisiba ge ǀhanaheba.
13 Tare-i ǃaroma da ǃaruǀî nî ûi?”
14 Matatiab tsî ǁîb ôagu tsîn ge ǁîgu sarana doa, ǃoab sarana ana tsî kaise ge ǃoa.
15 Gao-aob di ǂamkhoegu, khoena ge Eloba xun nî ǁnāǁgôase gere ǁgarigu ge Modeins ǃoa ge hā, ǁnāpa hâ khoena gu nî ǁgarise, în ǀūbeǁguibade ǁguiba. 16 ǂGui Israelǁîn, ǁîn ǃnâ gu Matatiab tsî ôasagu âb tsîna hân ge ǁîgu ǀkha nî ǀhaose ge hā. 17 O gu ge gao-aob di ǂamkhoega Matatiab ǃoa ge mî: “Sats ge nē ǃās di kai tsî ǃgôahesa ǂgaeǂgui-aotsa, tsîts ge sa ôagu tsî khoexakhoen xa ra mâxōǀkhāhe. 18 Tarexats gao-aob ge mîmāna dīs ǃnâ ǂguro tama? Jodeǁî taman hoan tsî Judeab di khoen tsî hoaraga khoen Jerusalems ǃnâ ge ǃgaun tsîn ge nēsa ǀnai ge dī. Nēsats ga dī, o gu ge sats tsî sa ôagu tsîna ‘Gao-aob di horesagu’ ti hâ ǂgaiǂams ǃnâ nî ǃgôaǂgāhe tsî go ge ǀhaiǀurib, ǃhuniǀurib tsî ǂgui ǀkhaexūn ǀkha nî mādawa-amhe.”
19 Matatiab ge ǃgari dommi ǀkha ge ǃeream: “Hoa ǁaedi gao-aob ǂgaeǂguis ǃnaka hâdi ga ǁîba ǁnâuǀnam tsî mâs hoasa ǁîb di mîmās ai ǁîn aboxagu di ǂgomsa xu ǁnāǁgôa, 20 xawe da ge tita tsî ti ôagu tsî ti khoexakhoen tsîda, Elob ge sida aboxagu ǀkha dī ǃgaeǀhaosa ǀûs ose nî ǃkhōǀgaipe. 21 Elob di huib ǀkha da ge tātsē ǁîb ǂhanuba ǂhara tamas ka io ǁîb di mîmāde ǁnâuǀnamoǃnâ tide. 22 Gao-aob di mîmāsa da ge ǁnâuǀnam tide tsî da ge sida daob ǀgoreǀîs diba ǀkharaǀkhara tide.”
23 Nē mîdeb ge mîtoas khaoǃgâ i ge Modeins di Jodeǁî-e, hoa khoen ra mûse aisǀkhāb ǁga ge ǂoaxa, gao-aob ge mîmā khami i, ǁnāpa mâ altars ai nî ǁguibase. 24 Tsî Matatiab ge ǁîba mû, ob ge kaise ge ǁaixa tsîb ge ǂgaob âb ǃnâ ge gongonǃnâhe. ǁAib xa ra ǀkhūseb ge aisǀkhāb ǃoa ǃkhoe tsî nē khoeba altars ai ge ǃgam. 25 ǁKhā ǁaeb ǁkhāb aib ge ǁîba gao-aob di ǂamkhoeb, khoena ge ǁguibas ǃoa gere ǁgarib tsîna ǃgam tsî altars tsîna ge khôaǁnâ. 26 Nē ǀgaub aib ge Matatiaba îǂhôasiba, Pinehab hîa ge Salub ôab, Simriba ǃgammi ǁkhāb khami, ǂhanub ǃaroma ge ǁgau.
Matatiab di torodīb
27 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Matatiaba ǃās ǃnâ ǃgûgaruse gere ǂgaiǂui: “Mâ-i hoa-i Elob ǃgaeǀhaos ǃnâ ra ǂgom-i tsî ǂhanuba ra ǁnâuǀnam-e, a-i tita sao!” 28 Tsîb ge ǁîb ôagu ǀkha ǃhomgu ǃoa ge ǃkhoeni, ǁîgu di xūn hoana ǃās ǃnâ ǁnāxū tsî.
29 ǁNā ǁaeb ǃnâ gu ge ǂguigu hîa gere ǂhanub tsî ǂhanu-aisib tsîkha ôaga, ǁnāpa gu sī nî ǁanse ǃgaroǃhūb ǃoa ge ǃgû. 30 ǁÎgu ge ǁîgu ôan, taradi tsî ûitsama xūn tsîna, ǀgaisa ǁgâiǀāb hîan gere tsâb ǃaroma ge ūsao. 31 Tsîn ge ǁnān, hîa gao-aob mîmāsa ǂhara tsî ge gaun nîga ǃgaroǃhūb ǃoa bēna, gao-aob di ǂamkhoegu tsî Davidi ǃĀs, Jerusalems di toroǃkhamaogu tsîn ai ge ǃnurihe. 32 Kai ǂnubis di toroǃkhamaogu ge ǁîna ǃgôaǃgon tsî ge saoǁae. ǁÎgu ge hâǃkhaiba ǁîn ǃoagu ǂnaumâi tsî ǁîna gu Sabbattsēs ai nî ǁnāǂamga ge ǂhomisen. 33 Tsî gu ge Jodeǁîn ǃoa “ǁAeb ge noxopa hâ, xuige ǂoaxa, î gao-aob di mîmāsa ǁnâuǀnam, o ge ge ûib âdo nî sâu,” ti gere ǃhao.
34 Xawen ge “ǂOa da tide; ǁnās ǀguis ose da ǁkhāti gao-aob mîmāde ǁnâuǀnam tsî Sabbattsēsa ǃgôaoǃnâ kai tide,” ti ge mî.
35 Toroǃkhamaogu ge ǁnātimîsi Jodeǁîna ge ǁnāǂam, 36 xawen ge ǁîna mâǃoa tama ge i. ǁÎn ge ǀui-i xawe-i ǀkha ǂnoa tamas ka io gauǃnân ge hâ i ǃkhaigu di dao-amdi tsîna ge ǁkhaeǂgan tama hâ i. 37 ǁÎn ge “A da hoatsama ǀhapiose ǁō; ǀhommi tsî ǃhūbaib tsîkha ge sadu ra ǂhanuoǃnâse ǃgam da ǃkhaisa nî ǃkhō-am” ti ge mî. 38 ǁNātin ge khākhoena Sabbattsēs ai ǁîna ǁnāǂam tsî aogu, taradi, ǀgôan tsî ǁîn di ûitsama xūn tsîna ge ǃgam; ǀhaob ai ǀguiǀoadisi khoena.
39 Matatiab tsî ǁîb ǀhōsan tsîn ge nē ǂhôasan ge ǁnâu, o kaise ge ǃoa 40 tsî ǁîǃnābe ge mî: “Sada hoada ga nau Jodeǁîǃgâsan ge dī khami dī tsî Jodeǁî taman ǃoagu, sada ûib tsî ǂgomsa ǁkhaubas ǃaroma ǃkham ǂgao tama i, o da ge ǃhae ǁaeb ǃnâ ǃhūbaiba xu nî hîkākāhe.” 41 Tsîn ge ǁnātsē khoe-i ga ǁîna Sabbattsēs ai ǁnāǂam, on nî ǃkhamǃoa ǃkhaisa ge mîǀgui, în tā ǁîn ǃgâsan ge ādi ǃnâ ǁō khami ǁō.
42 O gu ge ǂgui, ǀgaisa ǃkhamaogu, Israelǁaes diga, ǂhanuba ǁkhaubas ǃaroma māsenxase Hasideasa xu hā tsî Matatiab tsî ǁîb ǀhōsagu ǀkha ge ǀhaoǀhaosen. 43 ǁKhāti gu ge ǃgôaǃgonde xu ge ǃhū khoegu tsîna nē khoegu tawa hā ǀarosen tsî ǁîgu toroǂnubisa ge ǀgaiǀgai. 44 Tsî gu ge toroǂnubisa ǂhomi tsî ǂhanub ǃoagu ǁnâuǀnamoǃnâ Jodeǁîna, ǁîgu di ǁaib ǃnâ ge hîkākā. Ûiǂoa gen ge ǃnorasasib ǃaroma Jodeǁî taman ǃoa ge ǃkhoeni. 45 Matatiab tsî ǁîb ǀhōsagu tsîn ge hoa ǃkhain ai ǃgûma tsî ǀūben di altarde gere khôaǁnâ. 46 ǁKhāti gu ge ǃgaohesa tama axagu, Israeli ǃnâ gu gere hōgu hoaga ǀgaib ǃnâ gere ǃgao. 47 ǁÎgu ge ǁkhāti Jodeǁî taman di ǂgaeǂgui-aoga ǃgôaǃgons ǃnâ ge ǃgâiǃgâ. 48 Tsî gu ge Moseb di ǂhanuba Jodeǁî taman tsî ǁîn gao-aoga xu hō-oa tsî ǂkhaba gao-aob Antioxub di ǀgaiba ge khôa.
Matatiab di ǀuni mîdi
49 Matatiab ge ǁōǁaeb âb ge ǀgūo, ǁîb ôagu ǃoa ge mî: “ǁÎǃgôasens tsî ǃgôaǁnâgus ge nēsi go ǀgai, tsî nēb ge hîkākās tsî ǁaib di ǁaeba. 50 Xawe sago, ti ôago ge ǂhanub tsî sada aboxagu di ǃgaeǀhaos ǃaroma ǁōsa nî māsenxa.
51 “Mâtikō xūna gu ge sada aboxaga dī tsî ǁîgu tsēdi ǃnâ sīǃnâ ǃkhaisa ǂâis ǃnâ ūhâ re. ǁÎgu di aiǁgausa sao re, o go ge kai ǃgôasiba nî ǃkhōǃoa tsî ǀamos kōse nî ǂansa. 52 Abrahamma ǃâitsâheb geo, Elob ǃnâ ǂgom tsîb ǁîb di ǂgoms ǃaroma ge ǂhanu-ai kaihe tama hâ i? 53 Josefi ge ǁîb ǂōǂōsib ǁaeb ǃnâ Elob di mîmāde ǁnâuǀnam tsî Egipteb ǂama ge ǂgaeǂgui-ao kai. 54 Sada aboxab Pinehab ge kaiseb ge îǂhôa i amaga, ǀamo pristersis di mîmâisa ge ǃkhōǃoa. 55 Josuab ge mîmāsab ge dīǀoaǀoa amaga, Israelǁîn di ǀgoraǃgâ-aose ge mâihe. 56 Kaleb ge ǀhaohâb ǃnâb ge ǃkhō-am amaga, ǀumisa ǃhūb ǃnâ ge ǃkhōǃoa. 57 Davidi ge ǀkhomxaǃnâb ge i amaga, ǀamo gaosi tronsa ge ǀumi. 58 Eliab ge Elob ǂhanubab ge ǁnâuǀnam hâ i amaga, ǀhommi ǃoa ge ūǃapahe. 59 Hananjab, Asariab tsî Misaeli tsî gu ge ǂgom gu ge amaga, ǀaeǁhabuba xu ge sâuhe. 60 Danieli ge ǀhapiob ge i xui-ao, xamgu amǃnâga xu ge huiǂuihe.
61 “Mâb sada aboxagu dib hoaba aiǁgaus ase ū, o go nî mû ǃkhais ge Elob ǃnâ ra ǂgom-i hoa-i ǀgaioǃnâ tidesa. 62 Tā ǁore-aon di mîde ǃao, ǁîn di ǂkhaisasib ǂhaub tsî ǂunin ǃnâ nî dabaǃkhunihe amaga. 63 Nētsēn ge nî ǀgapiǃgôahe, xawe ǁarin ge nî kā, ǁîn nî tsara kai tsî di ǀapedi âna nî ǀam amaga. 64 Ti ôago, ǁkhoaǂgaoxa, î ǂhanub ǃnâ ǀgai, ǁîb ǃnâ-u go ǃgôasiba nî ǃkhōǃoa xuige.
65 “Sago ǃgâsab Simeonni ge a gā-ai, xuige tita go ra ǃgâs ǁkhās khami ǁîb tsîna ǃgâ re. 66 Judab Makabaeub ge ûib hâs kōse ge ǀgaisa i. ǁÎb ge nî sado ǃkhōdana-ao tsî sado khākhoen ǃoagu torogu ǃnâ nî ǂgaeǂgui. 67 Tsî go ge Elob di ǂhanuba ra ǁnâuǀnamn hoana ǀhaoǀhao tsî sadu khoen ǃoagu ge dīhe ǂhanuoǃnâsiba nî ǀkhao. 68 Jodeǁî tamana ǁîn di dīn ǃaroma mādawa, î ǂhanub di mîmāde hugaǀgui ǁnâuǀnam.”
69 ǁNās khaoǃgâb ge Matatiaba ǁîga ǀkhae tsî ge ǁō. 70 ǁÎb ge ǀguikaidisi tsî hakadisiǃnaniǀaǁî kurib ǃnâ ǁō tsî ǁîb di aboxagu ǀhobas, Modeins tawa hâs ǃnâ ge ǁkhōhe. Tsîs ge hoaraga Israelǁaesa ǁîb ǃaroma ǃgamse gere ǃoa.
The Faithfulness of Mattathias
1 During that time, a priest of the Jehoiarib family named Mattathias, who was the son of John and the grandson of Simeon, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. 2 Mattathias had five sons: John (also called Gaddi), 3 Simon (also called Thassi), 4 Judas (also called Maccabeus), 5 Eleazar (also called Avaran), and Jonathan (also called Apphus).
6 When Mattathias saw all the sins that were being committed in Judea and Jerusalem, 7 he said:
“Why was I born to see these terrible things,
the ruin of my people and of the holy city?
Must I sit here helpless
while the city is surrendered to enemies
and the Temple falls into the hands of foreigners?
8 The Temple is like someone without honor.
9 Its splendid furnishings
have been carried away as loot.
Our children have been killed in the streets,
and our young men by the sword of the enemy.
10 Every nation in the world has occupied the city
and robbed her of her possessions.
11 All her ornaments have been stripped away;
she is now a slave, no longer free.
12 Look at our Temple, profaned by the Gentiles,
emptied of all its splendor.
13 Why should we go on living?”
14 In their grief, Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and continued in deep mourning.
15 Then the king's officials, who were forcing the people to turn from God, came to the town of Modein to force the people there to offer pagan sacrifices. 16 Many of the Israelites came to meet them, including Mattathias and his sons. 17 The king's officials said to Mattathias, “You are a respected leader in this town, and you have the support of your sons and relatives. 18 Why not be the first one here to do what the king has commanded? All the Gentiles, the people of Judea, and all the people left in Jerusalem have already done so. If you do, you and your sons will be honored with the title of ‘Friends of the King,’ and you will be rewarded with silver and gold and many gifts.”
19 Mattathias answered in a loud voice, “I don't care if every Gentile in this empire has obeyed the king and yielded to the command to abandon the religion of his ancestors. 20 My children, my relatives, and I will continue to keep the covenant that God made with our ancestors. 21 With God's help we will never abandon his Law or disobey his commands. 22 We will not obey the king's decree, and we will not change our way of worship in the least.”
23 Just as he finished speaking, one of the men from Modein decided to obey the king's decree and stepped out in front of everyone to offer a pagan sacrifice on the altar that stood there. 24 When Mattathias saw him, he became angry enough to do what had to be done. Shaking with rage, he ran forward and killed the man right there on the altar. 25 He also killed the royal official who was forcing the people to sacrifice, and then he tore down the altar. 26 In this way Mattathias showed his deep devotion for the Law, just as Phinehas had done when he killed Zimri son of Salu.
The Guerrilla Warfare of Mattathias
27 Then Mattathias went through the town shouting, “Everyone who is faithful to God's covenant and obeys his Law, follow me!” 28 With this, he and his sons fled to the mountains, leaving behind all they owned.
29-30 At that time also many of the Israelites who were seeking to be right with God through obedience to the Law went out to live in the wilderness, taking their children, their wives, and their livestock with them, because of the terrible oppression they were suffering. 31 The report soon reached the king's officials and the soldiers in the fort at Jerusalem that some men who had defied the king's command had gone into hiding in the wilderness. 32 A large force of soldiers pursued them, caught up with them, set up camp opposite them, and prepared to attack them on the Sabbath. 33 “There is still time,” they shouted out to the Jews. “Come out and obey the king's command, and we will spare your lives.”
34 “We will not come out,” they answered. “We will not obey the king's command, and we will not profane the Sabbath.”
35 The soldiers attacked them immediately, 36 but the Jews did nothing to resist; they did not even throw stones or block the entrances to the caves where they were hiding. 37 They said, “We will all die with a clear conscience. Let heaven and earth bear witness that you are slaughtering us unjustly.” 38 So the enemy attacked them on the Sabbath and killed the men, their wives, their children, and their livestock. A thousand people died.
39 When Mattathias and his friends heard the news about this, they were greatly saddened 40 and said to one another, “If all of us do as these other Jews have done and refuse to fight the Gentiles to defend our lives and our religion, we will soon be wiped off the face of the earth.” 41 On that day they decided that if anyone attacked them on the Sabbath, they would defend themselves, so that they would not all die as other Jews had died in the caves.
42 Then Mattathias and his friends were joined by a group of devout and patriotic Jews, the strongest and bravest men in Israel, who had all volunteered to defend the Law. 43 In addition, everyone who was fleeing from the persecution joined them and strengthened their forces. 44 Now that they had an army, they gave vent to their anger by attacking the renegade Jews. Those who escaped were forced to flee to the Gentiles for safety. 45 Mattathias and his friends went everywhere tearing down pagan altars 46 and circumcising by force every uncircumcised boy they found within the borders of Israel. 47 They were also successful in hunting down the arrogant Gentile officials. 48 They rescued the Law of Moses from the Gentiles and their kings and broke the power of the wicked King Antiochus.
The Death of Mattathias
49 When the time came for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons, “These are times of violence and distress. Arrogant people are in control and have made us an object of ridicule. 50 But you, my sons, must be devoted to the Law and ready to die to defend God's covenant with our ancestors. 51 Remember what our ancestors did and how much they accomplished in their day. Follow their example, and you will be rewarded with great glory and undying fame. 52 Remember how Abraham put his trust in the Lord when he was tested and how the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him. 53 Joseph, in his time of trouble, obeyed God's commands and became ruler over the land of Egypt. 54 Phinehas, our ancestor, because of his burning devotion, was given the promise that his descendants would always be priests. 55 Joshua was made a judge in Israel because he obeyed the command of Moses. 56 Caleb brought back a good report to the community and was given a part of the land as a reward. 57 David was made king and was given the promise that his descendants would always be kings because of his steadfast loyalty to God. 58 Elijah, because of his great devotion to the Law, was taken up into heaven. 59 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael were saved from the flames because they had faith. 60 Daniel was a man of integrity, and the Lord rescued him from the mouth of the lions. 61 Take each of these ancestors of ours as an example, and you will realize that no one who puts his trust in the Lord will ever lack strength. 62 Don't be afraid of the threats of a wicked man. Remember that he will die and all his splendor will end with worms feeding on his decaying body. 63 Today he may be highly honored, but tomorrow he will disappear; his body will return to the earth and his scheming will come to an end. 64 But you, my sons, be strong and courageous in defending the Law, because it is through the Law that you will earn great glory.
65 “Your brother Simon is wise, so always listen to him as you would to me. 66 Judas Maccabeus has been strong all his life; he will be your commander and will lead you in battle against the enemy. 67 Call everyone who obeys God's Law to rally around you; then avenge the wrongs done to your people. 68 Pay back the Gentiles for what they have done, and always obey the Law and its commands.”
69 Then Mattathias gave them his blessing and died. 70 He was buried in the family tomb at Modein, and all the people of Israel went into deep mourning for him. This happened in the year 146.
